Fry the sausage meat

• Heat a little olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
• Add the sausage meat, breaking it up with a spoon, and fry until browned.

Add garlic and fennel seeds

• Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic.
• Add the garlic to the sausage meat along with the fennel seeds.
• Fry everything until nice and aromatic.

Cook the pasta

• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
• Cook the penne until al dente.

Build the ragu

• Back to the sausage ragu: stir in the tomato purée.
• Fry it off until it becomes rich, red and gorgeous.
• Pour in the vodka and let it flambé.
• Add the tin of tomatoes and give it a toss.
• Stir in the cream and let it bubble to intensify the flavour.
• Season with just a little black pepper (the sausage meat is already salty).

Combine pasta and sauce

• Add the drained pasta while it is still al dente.
• Add the finely grated parmesan.
• Roughly chop the parsley and add it in generously.
• Stir everything through so it is all coated.
• Let it sit in the heat for a little bit so the pasta soaks up all the flavour.

Serve

• Serve in deep bowls.
• Finish with a final garnish of grated parmesan and parsley.